Electric Guitar Essay

1465 Words6 Pages
The History and Significance of the Electric Guitar In my opinion, since being introduced, the electric guitar has done more for the evolution of music than any other single instrument. To those people interested in playing a musical instrument, I believe it is important to know the history of that instrument. Steve Waksman in his book says that the electric guitar was defined "as an object invested with deep significance". With the invention of amplified guitars the way music is made and heard would never be the same. From the crisp, clear sound of a classic melody to the ear piercing scream of a heavy metal guitar solo the electric guitar has become an intricate staple of many bands. Knowing the history of the instruments is a big is just as important as playing them. I’m hoping this information can help all players, new or old, to understand the changes that have occurred over time to our favorite instrument and how it has impacted music. The way any guitar player approaches their instrument is the result of essentially two things, the physical limitations of the instrument and the social context in which they learn to play it. This is true of any instrument from the violin to the piano. The guitar has one characteristic that no other instrument has, independence. It is this characteristic that is responsible for making the guitar the great American instrument that it is. It's not very expensive, and it's small enough for a cowboy to pack into his saddle bag and carry from town to town. With the exception of the piano which is not particularly portable, it is the only instrument on which you can accompany yourself vocally. This makes the modern guitar player the equivalent of a travelling minstrel, travelling from town to town, singing songs and telling stories of distant places and far off events. The electric guitar is different from an acoustic
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